Captions: 1. Farmers Tuk Tuky and Paul Kama with their vanilla cuttings.Picture by SAM BASIL.2. Simon Koneleus of Witipos village in Mumeng, Morobe province, getting ready to distribute 5, 000 vanilla cuts for the Bulolo district. Picture by SAM BASIL.
Farmers in Bulolo, Morobe province, are not waiting for another predicted vanilla bonanza to catch them by surprise.
The farmers, in anticipation of another windfall and with the support of their MP Sam Basil, received 5,000 vanilla cuts for planting last weekend.
The vanilla cuts were sourced from Situm Growers Association for K5, 000,” Mr Basil said.
“The delivery was taken care of by the Bulolo District Road Maintenance Programme vehicles.
“I believe vanilla prices may bounce back in a few years time and my people must be well-placed to enjoy the high prices when it happens.
“About 10,000 vanilla cuts were distributed three years ago, and the farmers are now asking for a vanilla specialist to be made available to show them how to pollinate and treat the vanilla beans.”
The PNG Spice Industry Board recently urged PNG farmers to produce high quality vanilla in anticipation of increased prices in the near future.
The board predicted an increased demand for our vanilla due to an expected short supply on the world market.
Chief executive officer Michael Waisime called on registered spice exporters to advise farmers to reactivate and rehabilitate their vanilla farms as prices were expected to increase favorably during this harvest season.
More awareness and training amongst farmers is needed to maintain proper curing practices to improve quality.
Exporters were reminded to coordinate with their farmers to produce high-grade vanilla to maximise on this market opportunity.
Mr Waisime said the world’s major supplier of vanilla, Madagascar, has had 80% of its vanilla plantings affected by an underground incurable crop disease.
Civil unrest in the country has also affected vanilla production.
He said supply of vanilla on the world market was down by 60% and the shortfall needed to be met by other vanilla-producing countries including PNG.
He said PNG, the fourth-largest producer in the world, stood to gain with increased demand for its vanilla and subsequently prices for organic vanilla were expected to rise worldwide.
Mr Waisime said according to information received by the SIB, there might be massive government intervention including appropriate research work to revive the vanilla industry in Madagascar.
It was estimated that world supply of vanilla would face a shortfall for the next five years or more.
Mr Waisime said his office had detailed a number of measures that registered spice exporters needed to adhere to.
These include submitting 2008 export returns and statements, review of forward contract sale for 2009, and review of farm gate prices.
He urged exporters, producers and interested people to contact his office for more information.
However, observers in the spice industry have cautioned the vanilla producers and farmers nationwide not to get excited like what was experienced several years ago when PNG had a vanilla boom.
PNG producers must not get carried away and should seek more information from the SIB and agricultural agencies.
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